Man died after glass was smashed over his head and stuck in his neck

A young Co Donegal man died on an island after a pint glass was smashed over his head and the broken glass stuck into his neck.

Letterkenny Coroner’s Court heard yesterday how 19-year-old Paul Boyle was attacked at Early’s Bar on Arranmore Island on Oct 3, 2009.

The court heard graphic details of the attack.

Mr Boyle’s family wept in court as the details of the attack were revealed.

Mr Boyle, of Blohogue, Arranmore, had been socialising with friends when he was set upon just after a band had finished playing the national anthem at 2.30am.

He fell to the floor and was bleeding heavily.

The injured man’s sister, Tara, had heard people screaming and went into the part of the bar where her brother was.

“Paul was just lying on the floor. He was covered in blood,” she said.

Paul received treatment from trained medical personnel who had been visiting the island before being rushed to the mainland by the Arranmore Lifeboat.

He was taken to Letterkenny General Hospital but died at 10.20am from his injuries.

Garda Edward Griffin said he carried out a full investigation into the attack.

He said he witnessed the scene immediately afterwards and said Mr Boyle had lost a considerable amount of blood.

In a later criminal trial, Stephen Boyle (no relation) pleaded guilty to the manslaughter but not guilty to the murder of Paul Boyle. The court heard how Paul Boyle had lost 60% of his blood after the attack.

Stephen Boyle, who had an address at Ballintra, Arranmore, was sentenced to six years in Apr 2012.

Yesterday’s inquest found that Paul died as a result of profuse bleeding as a result of the severance of the left internal jugular vein.

Coroner John Cannon offered his sympathy to the Boyle family after saying their son and brother was “struck down in a cold-blooded assault”.